Ageing is one cause of this condition, but there are other causes such as a stroke, Alzheimer's disease, or an injury to the brain from head trauma. Someone with Dementia may forget simple things that should be familiar to them.
People generally go through Dementia in three stages. During the first stage, a person will have trouble remembering things that they would typically know otherwise. Things such as phone numbers, how to get home, where they parked their car, and other common daily tasks are some of the things that will not be remembered by a person affected by Dementia. The next stage of Dementia is more serious and noticeable by people that know the person. In this stage the individual often does not know how to complete tasks around their own home such as cooking, getting dressed properly and washing themselves. Sometimes in this stage, the person affected also has trouble with their speech. The last stage begins to affect the body as well as the mind. The person may have weakness in certain parts of their body. It may cause them to not be able to move their arms and legs. Their ability to speak may worsen to the point of not making any sense when they talk.
Nursing Diagnosis for Dementia NANDA
1. Impaired Verbal Communication
related to cerebral impairment as demonstrated by altered memory, judgment, and word finding
2. Bathing or Hygiene Self-Care Deficit
related to cognitive impairment as demonstrated by inattention and inability to complete ADLs
3. Risk for Injury
related to cognitive impairment and wandering behavior
4. Impaired Social Interaction
related to cognitive impairment
5. Risk for Violence: Self-directed or Other-directed
related to suspicion and inability to recognize people or places